Cambodia & History: At the school of diplomats, the loss and triumphant return of Angkor
- Editorial team
- Jun 12
- 5 min read
In A l'école des diplomates : La perte et le retour d'Angkor, Fernand Bernard offers a lively, incisive chronicle of a crucial chapter in the history of Southeast Asia: the complex negotiations that led to the restoration of the Cambodian provinces annexed by Siam (now Thailand) and the reaffirmation of Cambodia's territorial integrity under French colonial rule., Fernand Bernard offers a lively, incisive chronicle of a crucial chapter in the history of Southeast Asia: the complex negotiations that led to the restoration of the Cambodian provinces annexed by Siam (now Thailand) and the reaffirmation of Cambodia's territorial integrity under French colonial rule.
Published in 1933, Bernard's book is a rare, first-hand account from a leading member of the French delegation that led the delightful Franco-Siamese border negotiations, culminating in the historic treaty of March 23, 1907.
Bernard was not a diplomat by profession, but a fervent advocate of the geopolitical re-establishment of Cambodia.
His account is both polemical and detailed, characterized by an incisive style and rare clarity that bring to life the diplomatic struggles and strategic calculations of the time. Renowned historian George Coedès hailed the book as “certainly the most vivid of all those written since 1893 on the Siamese question”, highlighting its critical look at the failures of earlier diplomacy and the military and colonial efforts that eventually led to the return of Siem Reap, Sisophon and Battambang to Cambodia.
A scathing critique of early French diplomacy
Bernard opens his book with a scathing condemnation of the colonial policy pursued by the early French Third Republic, pointing out that the protracted conflicts with neighboring Siam could have been avoided and were the result of diplomatic incompetence:
"The quarrels that broke out as soon as we settled in Indochina could have been settled from the very first days. Instead, they dragged on for over 40 years. The successive agreements we concluded were no more than truces, immediately broken by incidents that could easily have been foreseen and avoided. The problem was simple. It would have sufficed to understand it precisely in order to solve it, but all attempts at agreement have for a long time resulted only in maintaining or creating ambiguous situations and thus prolonging new conflicts."
"When we try to explain the sometimes singular attitude of our diplomats and the setbacks they have suffered, we can boil it down to three essential causes:
A total misunderstanding of the mutual situation on both sides; ignorance of the positive interests that had to be defended; 'the influence of inapplicable general theories and long-outdated systems."
The loss and return of Angkor: a diplomatic and cultural restoration
Bernard's account focuses on the symbolic and political importance of Angkor, the ancient Khmer capital lost to Siam in the 19th century. He argues that the continued dismemberment of Cambodia was both dishonorable and futile, advocating instead recognition of Cambodia's territorial integrity under French protection:
"To continue to dismember the ancient kingdom [Cambodia], to quarrel with the Siamese over its spoils, to persist in erasing even the last vestiges of a once powerful nation, such a task would have been without glory and without profit. There was only one valid and rational solution: to have Cambodia's integrity recognized, to take the kingdom under our protection, to defend its rights. This was not a naïve policy, for we were acquiring, without running the risk of conquest, a market from which we alone would benefit."
The subtleties of border demarcation and national identity
Bernard's account also reveals the profound difficulties of defining borders between two kingdoms whose historical foundations rested more on allegiance and dynastic ties than on fixed territorial control. He highlights the role of influential Siamese figures such as Prince Devawongse Varopakarn, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Prince Damrong Rajanubabh, Minister of the Interior and an early advocate of Siamese cartography and territorial definition.
Bernard notes the conceptual challenges encountered during the negotiations, particularly with regard to the nation's “geo-body”, a term later coined by historian Thongchai Winichakul to describe the mental and political cartography of a nation in formation:
"The provinces of Battambang, Siem Reap and Sisophon do not constitute the entire Great Lake basin. There are also:
1) the province of Panomsok, north of Battambang ;
2) Chonkan territory, north of Siem Reap;
3) the district of Vattana; 4) the districts of Ba Phra and Ban Sop Sai, north of Pailin, all under different Siamese administrative units."
This complexity was compounded by the delicate political position of local elites, such as Phya Kathathorn, the Siamese-appointed governor of Battambang, whose personal ties to Prince Damrong required precise guarantees to maintain his status after the province's return to Cambodia:
"One question was of particular concern to Prince Damrong and the King: what would Phya Kathathorn's situation be after the retrocession of Battambang? Phya Kathathorn, governor of Battambang, was a personal friend of Prince Damrong, and the Siamese government had repeatedly assured him that he would not be abandoned. It was therefore essential to maintain his material and moral status, so that he could not claim to have been sacrificed. I gave all the assurances I felt necessary in this respect...".
Fernand Bernard's A l'école des diplomates is a masterly blend of personal memoir, historical analysis and diplomatic criticism. It sheds light on the tangle of colonial ambitions, national identity and regional politics that shaped the destiny of Angkor and Cambodia's borders. His book remains an indispensable resource for understanding Cambodia's geopolitical and cultural restoration in the early 20th century, offering lessons on the interplay between diplomacy, history and the enduring legacy of ancient kingdoms.
About the author
Lieutenant-Colonel Fernand Abraham Bernard (1866-1961) was a distinguished French colonial officer, entrepreneur and influential negotiator whose career spanned military service and important commercial ventures in Southeast Asia.
Serving from 1891 until his retirement in 1908, Bernard played a central role in the Franco-Siamese negotiations that led to the 1907 treaty restoring the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap to Cambodia, including the historic Angkor region. His deep commitment to the region was reflected not only in his diplomacy, but also in his personal explorations and photographic documentation of Angkor during his military leave. Bernard later recounted these experiences and border negotiations in his 1933 book À l'école des diplomates.
Fernand Bernard never hid his origins or his liberal views, and suffered a personal tragedy when his son Jean-Guy died at Auschwitz and his daughter Jacqueline survived deportation to Ravensbrück.
After his military career, Bernard turned to a business career in French Indochina and Java. He became deputy director, then president of Messageries fluviales, a major river transport company on the Mekong, until his dismissal by the Vichy regime in 1939. His entrepreneurial activities extended to agriculture, banking and industry: he managed tea, coffee and rubber plantations, headed the Union des planteurs de caoutchouc, chaired Cigarette Manufactures of Indochina and held senior positions in major financial institutions and railway companies. His contributions were recognized by the prestigious title of Grand-Officier de la Légion d'honneur in 1932.
Bernard's legacy is a complex blend of colonial military authority, diplomatic talent, business acumen and personal commitment to justice and resistance, reflecting French Indochina's turbulent history and enduring cultural heritage.
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